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Rembrandt in America: Drawings

Rembrandt drew to hone his skills, record a motif, test compositional ideas and ways of expressing emotion, and provide instructive models for his students. Upon his death, nearly 2,000 drawings by Rembrandt and his followers were found in his studio. Intended for workshop use, the teacher’s drawings are rarely signed. It is a special occasion to see the four drawings on view in Rembrandt in America. Because drawings, like all works on paper, are light sensitive, so they can only be viewed for limited amounts of time.

The drawings complement the theme of questioning attribution/learning to look critically, because two of them may not be by Rembrandt.

Lemonedes says visitors can learn a great deal about Rembrandt’s style from viewing these drawings.

“Rembrandt communicates a vast range of human emotion in these drawings. When I study them, I see figures expressing apprehension, tension, loving care, anticipation of pain and patience. With just a few lines, Rembrandt portrays the complexity of human interaction.”